Electrical connector housing



Nov 24, 1970 R. PAUTRIE 3,543,219

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HOUSING I Filed May 29, 1968 7 2 Sheets-Sheet 1ZNVA'NTOR (Qlcceeoo PHUTRlE R. PAUTRIE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HOUSING Nov24, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 29, 1968 [/V VHV 70? Q \cceRDoPHUTRiE United States Patent 3,543,219 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HOUSINGRiccardo Pautrie, Turin, Italy, assignor, by mesne assignments, to AMPIncorporated, Harrisburg, Pa., a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 29,1968, Ser. No. 732,939 Claims priority, applicatitzm Italy, June 15,1967,

s, 94 Int. Cl. H01r 13/54 U.S. Cl. 339-91 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE This invention relates to an electrical connector housing forpanel mounting.

Various forms of cosnector houings are known which are molded fromplatic insulating material and they are integrally formed with resilientmembers for latching the housing in a panel aperture.

An electrical connector housing according to the present inventioncomprises a body of resilient insulating material formed externally witha projection presenting a rear facing shoulder for abutting one side orsurface of a panel at an edge of a panel aperture, the projection beingresiliently depressible within the relaxed profile of the body, andrearwardly of the projection a generally V- shaped yoke memberpresenting a forward facing shoulder for abutting a rear surface of thepanel, arms of the yoke extending rearwardly from the shoulder indivergent manner, ends of the arms remote from the forward facingshoulder being integral with the body and the shoulder at the junctionof the arms being spaced outwardly of the body and of the ends of thearms remote from the shoulder, whereby rearward deflection of theshoulder of the yoke member relative to the body effects tortionaldeflection of the yoke arms.

In operation the body is passed through a panel aperture by depressionof the projection until the forward facing shoulder of the yoke engagesthe rear surface of the panel. Further insertion pressure causes flexureof the yoke arms so that the forward facing shoulder is deflectedoutwards and rearwards relative to the body until the rear facingshoulder emerges from the panel aperture to engage the rear facingshoulder with the front surface of the panel.

Preferably, the body has a generally circular crosssection at the panelaperture and the rear facing shoulder is disposed at the rear end of arearwardly and outwardly inclined resilient flap. Suitably the body isprovided with a pair of diametrically opposite flaps and a pair ofdiametrically opposite yoke members disposed orthogonally so that theforward facing shoulders alter- 3,543,219 Patented Nov. 24, 1970 icenate with the rear facing shoulders at quadrant intervals around thebody.

An object of the invention is to provide a panel mounting housing havingtorsionally deflectable yoke means.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a panel mountinghousing having rib means for engagement with an edge of a panel apertureto center the housing therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a panel mounting housinghaving stop means to limit deflection of the yoke means.

An additional object of the invention is the provision of a panelmounting housing having latch arms for latching engagement with acomplementary housing.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings inwhich there are shown and described illustrative embodiments of theinvention; it is to be understood, however, that these embodiments arenot intended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but aregiven for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in theart may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof andthe manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it invarious forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of aparticular use.

The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference tothe accompanying partly diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector housing mountedin a panel aperture, part of the panel being cut away to expose thehousing parts more clearly;

FIG. 2 is a side view to a reduced scale of the housing of FIG. 1 partlyin section and additionally showing a second mating housing explodedtherefrom;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the housing of FIG. 1 with part of the panelcut away to expose part of the mounting means of the housing;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the housings of FIG. 2 in mated relation butremoved from the panel and rotated and FIG. 5' is a fragmentary view ofan alternative embodiment of the invention.

The housing 1 of FIGS. 1 to 4 comprises a generally straight-circularcylinder of resilient plastic insulating material defining a body havinga connector passageway 2 for receiving an electrical connector. At itsforward or upper end, as seen in FIG. 1, the housing 1 is formed with apair of diametrically opposite slots 3, open at their forward ends andat their rear closed ends terminating forwardly of the panel 4. Thematerial between the slots forms a pair of diametrically oppositeresilient arm 5. Narrow slots 5a on each side of each of the arms 5extend below the lower end of slot 3 to extend the effective lengths ofthe arms 5.

The arms 5 have centrally disposed narrow tabs 6 at their forward orupper ends which with the arm portions on opposite sides are chamferedinwardly on their inner surfaces to facilitate engagement with acomplementary housing 9. The arms 5 below the tab 6 are formedinternally with lateral slots 7 extending circumferentially in arcuatemanner and arranged to engage a complementary annular collar 8 of thecomplementary housing 9. The housing 9 is formed as a straight-circularcylinder having a lower end portion for penetrating the upper end ofcavity 2. The collar 8 is tapered downwardly and the upper and lowersurfaces of slots 7 are inclined upwards and outwards, the uppersurfaces of collar 8 being formed in complementary manner to improvelatching engagement between the arms and the collar 8.

'Each arm 5 is provided externally with a resilient flap 10 whichextends rearwardly and outwardly, rear ends of the flaps 10 presentingrear facing shoulders for engaging the upper surface of panel 4.

The housing 1 is formed below the flaps 10 with a pair of diametricallyopposite yoke members 11 of generally inverted V-form arrangedorthogonally in relation to the diametrically opposite flaps at quadrantintervals in relation to the fiap's 10. Each yoke member 11 has a pairof downwardly extending divergent arms 12 which extend arcuately incircumferential manner, as seen in FIG. 3. At the junction of the arms12 each yoke member 11 presents a forward facing shoulder 16 forengaging a rear surface of the panel 4. The arms 12 at their lower endsare integrally formed with the housing 1 through radial projections 13which serve to stand the lower ends of the arms 12 away from the generalcylindrical profile of the housing 1. Each stand-ofl projection 13 has apair of upwardly directed pillar portions 14 and 15 forming ribs on thehousing. The radially inner pillar portion 14 is of generally squarecross-section and extends upwards beyond the radially outer pillarportion 15. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inner pillar portions arearranged to extend through the panel aperture and, as seen in FIG. 4,there are four evenly circumferentially distributed portions 14 whichengage the edge of the panel around the aperture to locate the housing 1centrally of the aperture.

The radially outer pillar portions 15 are formed with upper flatsurfaces for engaging a lower surface of the panel 4. The pillarportions 15 terminate below the upper shoulder surfaces 16 provided bythe yoke members when, as seen in FIG. 4, the yoke members are inrelaxed condition.

In assembling the housing 1 into a panel aperture, the housing is pushedupwardly through the aperture to engage upper ends 6 of the arms 5within the aperture. Edges of the aperture engage the upper ends offlaps 10 to cam flaps 10 and the arms 5 inwards by flexure of the arms 5about their lower ends and of the flaps 10 about their upper ends untilthe flaps 10 and the arms 5 are disposed within a cylindrical envelopecorresponding in diameter to the panel aperture. The lower ends of flaps10 are depressed between adjacent pillar portions 14. On continuedupward movement of the housing 1 in relation to the panel 4, the uppershoulder surfaces 16 of the yoke members 11 engage the underside of thepanel 4 to bend the arms 12 of the yoke members about the projections13. In this way the shoulders 16 are deflected radially outwards anddownwards by resilient deformation of the yoke members 11 and theprojections 13. The arms 12 are deflected in torsion as well as bending.The lower ends of the flaps 10 emerge from the aperture at the upperside of the panel 4 and spring radially outwards to latch the housing 1in the aperture, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Continued upward movement ofthe housing 1 in relation to the panel engages the upper ends of pillarportions 15 with the underside of the panel 4 and this serves not onlyto stabilize the housing in the panel aperture against rocking but alsoprovides means avoiding overstres'sing of the yoke members 11.

Attempts to pull the housing 1 downwardly from the aperture result infurther playing out of the flaps 10 thereby securely holding the housingin the panel. Insertion of complementary housing 9 into matingengagement with the housing 1, as seen in FIG. 4, prevents inwardmovement of arms 5 and therefore serves to lock the housing 1 within thepanel aperture. To withdraw the housing 1 from the panel, the housing 9must first be removed and the flaps 10 and arms 5 deflected radiallyinwards within the aperture envelope so that the housing can bewithdrawn downwardly.

To accommodate panels of greater thickness, the standoff projections 13may be slotted, as indicated in broken lines at 17 in FIG. 5, toincrease the flexibility of the projections 13 and thereby allow greaterrearward movement of the shoulders 16 without overstressing arms 12 ofthe yoke members by bending of the projections 13. The provision ofslots 17 effectively delays operation of the stops 14.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that the aforementioned and otherdesirable objects have been achieved; however, it should be emphasizedthat the particular embodiments of the invention, which are shown anddescribed herein, are intended as merely illustrated and not asrestrictive of the invention.

The invention is claimed in accordance with the follow- 1. An electricalconnector housing compirsing a body of resilient insulating materialprovided externally with projection means presenting a rear-facingshoulder for abuting one side of a panel at an edge of a panel aperture,the projection means being resiliently depressible within the relaxedprofile of the body, general-1y V-shaped yoke means presenting aforward-facing shoulder disposed rearwardly of said projection means forabutting another side of the panel, arms of the yoke means extendingrearwardly from the forward-facing shoulder in divergent manner, andends of the arms remote from the forward-facing shoulder being integralwith the body and the forwardfacing shoulder at the junction of the armsbeing spaced outwardly of the body and of the ends of the arms remotefrom the forward-facing shoulder, whereby rearward deflection of theforward-facing shoulder of the yoke means relative to the body effectstorsional deflection of the yoke arms.

2. A housing as claimed in claim 1, in which the body is of generallystraight-circular cylindrical form and has a pair of diametricallyopposite projection means and a pair of diametrically opposite yokemeans disposed orthogonally so that the projection means alternate withthe yoke means at quadrant intervals around the housing, arms of theyoke means extending circumferentially of the housing in arcuate manner.

3. A housing as claimed in claim 1, in which the housing is formed atits forward end with a pair of diametrically opposite slots open attheir forward ends and defining between the slots a pair of resilientarms for latching engagement with a complementary housing between thearms, the projection means being formed externally of the resilientarms.

4. A housing as claimed in claim 1, in which the projection meanscomprise resilient flaps extending rearwardly and outwardly from thearms.

5. A housing as claimed in claim 1, in which axially extending ribs areprovided on the housing at opposite sides of each of the projectionmeans, the ribs being arranged to engage edges of the panel aperture andthe projection means being resiliently depressible between adjacentribs.

6. A housing as claimed in claim 1, in which the yoke means at thejunctions of the arms with the housing have stand-off portions to spacethe yoke shoulders radially outwards of the housing profile.

7. A housing as claimed in claim 6, in which said standoff portionsconnecting the yoke means to the housing are slotted to increase theirflexibility and allow increased rearward movement of the forward facingshoulders of the yoke means.

8. A housing as claimed in claim 1, in which a stop member is arrangedadjacent the yoke means to engage the other side of the panel to limitdeflection of the yoke means.

5 9. A housing as claimed in claim 8, in which stop members are providedat the ends of the arms of a pair of yoke means to present four stopmembers evenly distributed around the housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 8/1967 Churla 33949 1/1968Pauza 174138 US. Cl. X.R.

